Today's Sports

With two major pieces graduated from last season’s state tournament team, Collins boys’ basketball will turn to a youthful but experienced player in sophomore point guard Dayvion McKnight.

The second year player averaged 7.6 points per game last season, good for third on the team, and played in all 37 games for the Titans.

This year, the point guard has been working hard on various aspects of his game in order to get his team back where he wants to be – Rupp Arena in Lexington for the school’s third state tournament berth.

Typically when the weather turns cold, successful football teams turn to the running game and defense to grind out wins.

Collins did just that on Friday night, rushing for 204 yards as a team and forcing five turnovers on defense and special teams in the 30-6 win over Shelby County.

Collins allowed its rival 302 yards of total offense, but most of Shelby’s yardage came with the game firmly out of reach, and was aided by an 82-yard touchdown pass after the Titans had the win in hand.

Not often do players get to test themselves against some of the best amateur athletes in the country, but Shelby County baseball’s Matthew Ellis will get that opportunity following his senior season this year.

The catcher inked with the University of Tennessee on Thursday night, surrounded by family members and coaches involved with the Rocket baseball program.

Both hometown football teams will look to survive and advance tonight, as Shelby County and Collins high schools face off for the second time this season.

The Titans (9-2) bring a six game winning streak into the second round of the playoffs, after topping West Jessamine in the first round. As a team, the defense is allowing a paltry 7.5 points per game to opposing offenses over the course of its run.

If history is any indication, the matchup between Shelby County and Collins tonight should be another instant classic.

Last season, the roles of these two teams were the complete opposite.

In 2016, it was Shelby that had beaten the Titans soundly on its home field earlier in the season, and the Rockets found itself hosting the second-round of the KHSAA 4A State Playoffs with a scrappy Collins team once again on the docket.

Making the transition from high school to college football can be a tough one, but Western Kentucky University defenders DeAndre Farris and Masai Whyte are making it look easy.

The two former Collins players have helped the Hilltoppers compile a record of 5-4 this season, with WKU tied for third in Conference USA (3-2).

Western’s pass defense ranks 24th in the country this season, allowing opponents to throw for just 187 yards per game, in large part due to a defensive back in Farris and Whyte, one of the team’s two starting linebackers.

Second-half comebacks are becoming second nature to Shelby County this season.

With 24 minutes left in regulation, the Rockets (7-4) rallied from down 21-10 in the third quarter, outscoring host Taylor County 28-14 over the final two quarters of play and advancing to the second round of the KHSAA 4A State Playoffs on Friday with a 38-28 win.

Another strong defensive performance from Collins combined with a rapid-fire offensive attack left West Jessamine searching for answers in the Titans’ 34-13 home playoff win over the Colts on Friday night.

West quarterback Jacob Humes was picked off three times in the loss, and while the Colts were able to rack up 306 yards of total offense, 70 of those came from a single second quarter carry by running back Jamesy Swentzel.